Background and Objective: The physiological changes in liver function in pregnancy are commonly transient and are rarely permanent. HIFs are important to treatment of injuries,inflammation and response to hypoxia. However exercise in pregnancy and some of environmental toxicities can influence HIF levels.The goal of this study was identification of endurance swimming by identifying HIF-1 proteins in pregnant rat liver exposure to cadmium.

  Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 32 pregnant wistar rats were randomly assigned to four treatment groups(n=8):control, exercise, cadmium and cadmium-exercise. Experimental group were exposed to intervention programs of of swimming and cadmium for 3 weeks.Training protocol included 60 minutes swimming (1h/day,5days/week) during pregnancy. The pregnant rats received 400 ppm cadmium as cadmium choloride in drinking water. Statistical analysis data was obtained by one-way analysis of vaiance and Scheffe method.

  Results: There analysis of results showed, maternal weight and maternal liver weight of cadmium group were lower compared with control group. HIF-1alpha levels significantly increased in exercise group and cadmium-exercise group compared with cadmium group (p<0.001). In contrast serum HIF-1alpha levels in cadmium group significantly (p<0.001) decreased compared with control group,butsignificantly (p<0.001).

  Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings data suggest that regular swimming exercise at submaximal intensity compensates of cadmium reducing effects of liver HIF-1alpha in pregnants rat.

  Key words: Swimming, Hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha, Pregnancy, Cadmium

  Funding: This research was funded by personal contribution.

  Conflict of interest: None declared.

  Ethical approval: The Ethics Committee of University of Mazandaran, approved the study.

 How to cite this article : Mirdar Sh, Memarian S, Hedayati M, Hajizade A. The Effect of Endurance Swimming Exercise on Hif-1 Levels in Livers of Pregnant Rats Exposed to Cadmium Toxicity. J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci 2014 12(11): 919-28. [Farsi]